Ducks 6, Kings 5 (SO)
Ryan Kesler scored the decisive goal in the shootout after tallying twice in regulation as host Anaheim salvaged the finale of its four-game homestand (1-0-3).
After each team scored in the first round of the bonus format and the Kings failed on their second chance, Kesler beat Jonathan Quick low to the stick side, and Jason LaBarbera denied Anze Kopitar to clinch the win. Jakob Silfverberg recorded a goal and an assist, defenseman Cam Fowler and captain Ryan Getzlaf also scored and LaBarbera made 14 saves in relief of Frederik Andersen, who allowed three goals on 10 shots.
Kopitar and blue-liner Drew Doughty each notched a goal and an assist for the Kings, who extended their point streak to four games (2-0-2). Marian Gaborik, Trevor Lewis and Justin Williams also tallied and Quick made 44 saves as Los Angeles allowed 49 shots and blocked 20 more attempts.
Kopitar opened the scoring by sliding a backhander between Andersen's pads at 9:21 of the first period on a penalty shot, which was awarded to the Slovenian after he was hooked from behind by Anaheim defenseman Sami Vatanen during a breakaway. Doughty doubled the lead with a one-timer from the right point with 49 seconds left in the session, but Fowler answered at 7:07 of the second from the top of the right faceoff circle.
Lewis chased Andersen with a shot from just inside the blue line at 9:20, but Silfverberg beat Quick high on the short side 2:23 later and Kesler scored from the left hash marks 2:35 into the third to forge a 3-3 tie. Gaborik put the Kings back in front at 7:32 and Williams put a shot from the bottom of the right circle inside the left post 3:29 later before Kesler tucked a backhander inside the left post with 5:40 remaining and Getzlaf tipped Smith-Pelly's bad-angle shot past Quick with 1:39 left in the third to force overtime.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Fowler returned to Anaheim's lineup after missing one game with a lower-body injury. ... D Jamie McBain made his Kings debut, blocking one shot while finishing with a minus-1 rating in 11:47 of ice time. ... Kesler capped his three-point performance with an assist while Vatanen and fellow D Hampus Lindholm recorded two apiece for the Ducks, who totaled five goals over the first three games of their homestand.